Author: Brandon Peoples

Kansas farmers and ranchers, as well as area state legislators took part in a roundtable discussion Wednesday in Manhattan centered on how expanding Medicaid would potentially benefit the state’s agriculture industry. Leading the discussion was Gov. Laura Kelly, who is planning yet another attempt to convince the GOP-controlled legislature to debate the issue and ultimately pass an expansion bill. A 2020 report from the Chartis Center for Rural Health found that being in a state that has expanded Medicaid decreases the likelihood of a rural hospital closing by 62 percent. Between Ascension Via Christi Manhattan and the Wamego Health Center,…

Over the past two weeks, police say vandals have caused an estimated $1,500 in damage to a boys bathroom inside Manhattan High School. The Riley County Police Department says it fielded a report Tuesday for criminal damage to property after an unknown suspect damaged items by tagging them with graffiti. MHS has dealt with numerous issues of vandalism in the school bathrooms in the past couple of years. Most recently, in February, a graffiti message perceived as a threat led to a lockdown of the school, though was later determined to not be credible. Anyone with information should report it…

For the second straight year, Pottawatomie County voters have turned down a quarter percent sales tax to fund road and bridge improvements. The measure failed on a 56 to 44 percent margin (2,547 voting no, 2,032 voting yes), a year after it also failed by a 53 to 47 percent margin. County officials previously noted that such a tax would’ve generated approximately $2 million annually for about a dozen infrastructure projects. They had hoped to pay for the needed upgrades through the sales tax rather than utilizing property taxes. Most of the projects earmarked were in the Green Valley area…

At least two newcomers and one incumbent have won election to the Manhattan-Ogden School board. With all precincts reporting in Riley and Pottawatomie County, Kristin Brighton has secured a second four year term, finishing first with 4,079 votes. In second place was Katie Allen, who finished with 3,760 votes. Allen, who formerly chaired the Riley County Democrats before stepping down this fall, says she’s looking forward to holding an elected office for the first time. Finishing third in voting was former Manhattan High School Principal Greg Hoyt, with 3,516 votes. It remains to be seen who will be the fourth…

The Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office says a $1,000 reward is being offered after more than a dozen calves and a cow went missing from a ranch near Wamego last month. According to the Wabaunsee County Farm Bureau, the livestock stolen included 15 Black Angus or Wagyu calves, one red calf and one Black Angus cow. The cattle belonged to Dan Oeding, who operates a ranch about five miles southeast of Wamego. The cattle were reported stolen on Oct. 10. Anyone with information is being encouraged to call the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office at 785-767-3323.

One person was injured in a Monday crash near Manhattan Regional Airport. The Riley County Police Department says 57-year-old Albert Huerta, of Manhattan was transported to Ascension Via Christi after crashing his motorcycle with an SUV near Skyway Drive and Murray Road at around 7 a.m. The extent of his injuries weren’t immediately available The other driver, 51-year-old Thomas Reust, of Manhattan, had no listed injuries. —– Police also noted Monday the theft of a laptop computer reported by a 20-year-old man Monday evening in the 1200 block of Centennial Drive. The total loss is approximately $1,100. Anyone with information…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday that Rural Development is awarding over $4.2 million in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments to lower their energy costs. Locally, that includes a grant totaling more than $85,000 awarded to Britts Farm to purchase and install an 86.4 killowatt solar array. It will replace over 100,000 killowatt hours per year, which officials say is enough energy to power nine homes. There were 34 projects approved in Kansas. Grants were awarded nationally in 44 states and 1 territory. USDA is awarding…

Today marks Election Day in Kansas. Advance voting ended at noon Monday, with 2,183 Riley County residents casting their ballots early. That’s down about 1,000 from the last city/school board election in 2021, which saw 3,185 residents vote in advance. Advance ballots by mail will be accepted through Friday as long as they are postmarked by today. Riley County Clerk Rich Vargo reflected Monday on the election cycle, which has included new equipment and more security measures surrounding the voting process. With new laws regarding Election Security taking effect this year coupled with the new equipment needed to comply, the…

Riley County Police responded to a pair of injury crashes Friday in northern Riley County. Police say the first occurred near Tuttle Creek Blvd. and West Randolph Street in Randolph Friday morning when a Dodge Durango turned in front of a Dodge pickup. Injured in the crash were 69-year-old Lenita Glanzer, of Randolph and 60-year-old Kerwin Mann, of Barnes. Both were treated at Ascension Via Christi Hospital. The other crash happened just after noon Friday near the intersection of Green-Randolph Road and Tuttle Creek Blvd. after a Chevy Silverado collided with a Ford F35. Police say 80-year-old Thomas Burke, of…

More than $36,000 has been raised by candidates seeking election to the Manhattan City Commission. (Full reports are attached in alphabetical order, at the bottom of this story, including a list of contributions to each campaign.) Campaigns were required to file their second round reports on Oct. 30. Eight of the nine candidates submitted reports showing financial contributions and expenditures between July 21 and Oct. 26. Susan Adamchak leads all candidates, with $13,778 raised over that span. Adamchak started the period with $2,400 cash on hand. Minus expenditures, her campaign had $5,461.75 as of Oct. 30. Peter Oppelt raised over…